


Taverna della Stella Guida

by illuminousink



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Spirits, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, ChanSoo - Freeform, Deity, Drinking, Fantasy, Ghosts, Gods, Good and Evil, M/M, Souls, Supernatural Elements, Taverns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:27:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29043102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/illuminousink/pseuds/illuminousink
Summary: When Chanyeol discovered a new side of the world, it not only terrified him but left his chest with a feeling of longing. But after much deliberation, he finally realized that it's the place where he belongs.Or, at least, for as long as the Deities and Spirits allow him to.This fanfic is part of Chansoo Fest Round 1: Lockdown.
Relationships: Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Park Chanyeol
Kudos: 18
Collections: Chansoo fest: Lockdown





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heya!
> 
> This story was inspired by Hotel del Luna as requested by the prompter and I hope that I gave justice to it even though it's not a hotel. I also tweaked a few stuff from the prompt but I do hope you like it. PROMPT #26
> 
> First off, I wanna say a huge, huge thank you to Berry(@b0rowka) for being such an amazing beta. Thank you for helping me through this massive chaos that I dove into! She also deserves a whole lot of credit because of her massive contribution to this story and so I would like to give credit where credit is due.
> 
> Second, thanks to my two lovely friends who, despite having a different ship they like, still tolerated me and my ramblings and helped me with the flow of the story. lol. Thanks AJ! Thanks Joedy!
> 
> Lastly, I hope that you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed, and tortured myself, writing it. lol. Have fun and don't forget to leave comments if you liked it!

The cold autumn breeze passed as a young man in his early twenties walked towards an old establishment surrounded by luscious greenery. The place stood at the centre of the city, yet not many noticed it. The foliage was inviting yet it looked like a normal welcoming home that housed a family. But much to people’s curiosity, it was nothing but. The building was a special place that guards the crossroads of life.

The young man smiled brightly as he looked at the rustic signage that hung outside the greyish white brick-walled house. The washed-out red shingles at the top showed just how long it had been there. He let out a sigh before heading inside.

The place was filled with chatter, laughter, and smiles as soon as the bell dinged that signalled his arrival.

“Hey, Chanyeol!” He heard some of the guests call out while others greeted him with a simple, “Hey!”

“Hey, everyone! I hope you’ve all been good to the Boss!” Chanyeol greeted them with a bright smile. He looked around at the tavern's patrons whose ages ranged from a young teenager to an old person who was in their 90s or higher. He looked around to see the colour of their eyes. Some had pure black eyes while others had grey eyes, and some had almost white-like coloured eyes.

There were some who scoffed, “Of course we did! What do you think of us?!”

And there were some who smiled back, “We’ll always be good to the Boss.”

And others… “Ehhh! Stop dilly-dallying and just confess to the guy already!”

Chanyeol widened his eyes as if telling them to stop spouting nonsense or to stop the teasing before anyone else heard them. Fortunately, the boss wasn’t at the front of the house at that moment, else he would definitely be a red tomato again.

“You really know how to make an entrance.” Chanyeol heard a familiar voice call out to him. The moment he turned, he saw the tavern’s general manager standing beside him with that entertained look on his face.

Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile as he scratched his cheek. “Ah… Hello, Minseok-hyung. How was today? Was it busy?”

Minseok just swayed his head from side to side as if answering that it was so-so. He then motioned Chanyeol to get on with his work since the place was already bustling with guests.

Chanyeol nodded as he headed towards his office. But as he passed through the hallways, he peeked through another door just before reaching his office.

There, inside the office he peeked at, sat the tavern owner. He was looking at the paperwork before looking at different gems on his table. Chanyeol felt a sense of comfort while watching him work, the solemn look on the tavern owner’s face always sent a soothing feeling inside his chest as if staring at him was the most enjoyable thing he could ever do in the world. The way the tavern owner’s eyes fluttered like butterfly’s wings; it was hypnotizing. The way he licked his lips, showing off how plump they were. The way his brows scrunched when thinking, looked cute for Chanyeol. And the way he smiled, bringing forth the heart-shaped lips that always mesmerized Chanyeol. It always completed his day whenever he saw the tavern owner’s smile, there was just something about it that made his heart bounce with delight and content.

“Chanyeol!”

“Ah! You surprised me!” Chanyeol gasped as he grabbed his chest to ease his surprised heart when he felt someone’s hand on his shoulder. He panted as he looked back to see one of his workmates looking at him with disgust.

“Ya, what are you doing there acting like a creep and staring at Kyungsoo again? You really need to stop acting like a stalker.”

Chanyeol let out a doubtful sigh before shaking his head. “Why do you always have to assume things on your own? You shouldn’t just call people stalker and creepy when it’s not the case.”

“Then what were you doing?” the guy asked, crossing his arms as he looked at Chanyeol.

“I was… well, I was just making sure that Kyungsoo-nim is there.” Chanyeol’s eyes looked away, showing off uncertainty.

The other guy eyed him like a fox. Narrowed eyes glaring at him as if watching his every move. Chanyeol was fidgeting a lot, and it was obvious that he was lying. There was heavy tension brewing between the two as the other guy continued to glare at Chanyeol.

“Chanyeol? Baekhyun? What are you both doing here?” Kyungsoo’s voice suddenly eased the heavy tension between the two. Chanyeol took that opportunity to take a step back and immediately hid behind the tavern owner’s back. Despite their height difference, Chanyeol felt safest whenever he stood behind their tavern owner.

“I just caught him peeping into your office like a creep again,” Baekhyun, one of the tavern’s waiters, stated as he continued to glare at Chanyeol who stood behind Kyungsoo. “And he still has the gall to deny it.”

“I-I’m not a creep!” Chanyeol answered back with a squeak before flinching when Baekhyun clicked his tongue.

“Why do you always have to fight?” The owner shook his head before letting out a defeated sigh. “Please get ready to start your shift, Chanyeol. And Baekhyun, why are you back here? Minseok told me that it’s busy outside. I’m sure Sehun would appreciate some help out front.”

Baekhyun huffed before smiling at Kyungsoo, he immediately held the owner’s hand before kissing it. “Yes! I shall do whatever my lovely Kyungsoo asks.” He immediately turned around to head out.

“H-hey Kyungsoo…nim. Uhhh… Good evening.” Chanyeol smiled, hand scratching the back of his head.

“Good evening Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo smiled at him, which always seemed to take Chanyeol’s breath away. “We’re going to have a busy day today. So, let’s do our best.”

Chanyeol immediately nodded as he rushed into his office to change. 

Chanyeol huffed before he swallowed hard. Looking at the door that separated the back of the house and the front of the house, he patted his chest before whispering his usual work chant. “You can do this! Fighting! Chanyeol, fighting!” He nodded to himself before he finally stepped out into the front of the house to look at the guests that arrived.

The bar counter was filled with different guests while half of the tables were full. The bell dinged as the door opened and in stepped a woman wearing a white gown with red streaks of blood dripping off her wounded neck. Her eyes were pure black while her skin had a purple-blue hue to it.

Chanyeol held his breath, heart hammering inside his chest as he watched Minseok guide the spirit to a table. No matter how long he had worked at the tavern, his hand would still shake at the sight of a new guest.

If any other human entered the place, they would probably scream and immediately run the other way. Most people wouldn’t even notice this old tavern. There were some, very rare ones, which got filled with curiosity to enter it. Most of the time, people couldn’t get past the doors since it wouldn’t open for them. And then, there were some who managed to enter the tavern to discover what it truly was.

_ A tavern for ghosts. _

Unlike other people who have lost their way into the tavern, or enter due to curiosity, Chanyeol found this place due to a series of bizarre coincidences. 

He could still remember that day as the luckiest, and unluckiest, day of his life.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

It was a bright day when Chanyeol chanced upon a wallet while walking down the street. He immediately wrinkled his forehead as a sense of curiosity filled his mind. He was just about to go out and overcome his disappointment by bothering his friends, who didn’t pick up when he called them, or spend time at the computer shop to play some games when he saw the wallet. He looked left and right, wondering who the owner might be.

Chanyeol had a strong sense of justice. Many people who knew him would say that he often strived hard to fulfil his task with more than a 100%. He gave his all, and some more, to make sure that he doesn’t have any regrets.

Picking up the wallet, he knew what he had to do. The moment he opened it, he was filled with the need to find its owner as if there was an unknown force urging him to do so. The wallet contents were minimal, a few cards, and an ID card that looked like it belonged to an old man. Looking through it, he noticed that there’s a business card hidden in one of the compartments of the wallet. Much to his surprise, the old man looked like he was working at a place he has never heard of before.

“Taverna della Stella Guida? Hm? What is this?”

The shining bold letters at the front of the business card were words he didn’t know. Even though he could read it, the definition was something he’d have to look for. As he turned the card, it contained a name and a phone number which he assumed would be the workplace.

“Should I just call and bring it over there?” He thought to himself as he shrugged his shoulders to pull out his phone from his pocket. 

Several rings later, no one picked up the call. He wondered why that was so, but he simply clicked his tongue. Since no one was answering, he looked for the establishment instead and wondered what it actually meant with the help of the trusty internet.

“Guiding Star Tavern? Tavern? Hmmm… I didn’t know we had a tavern here. Do I have to roll for initiative?” He whispered to himself before snorting at his own thought. He looked around to make sure that no one noticed him before he cleared his throat to set out for the day’s adventure. When he finally found it, his eyes widened in surprise to find out that it was located at the city centre. “Never noticed it.” He added.

He let out a huff as he proceeded to head over to the tavern in hopes of returning the wallet to its rightful owner.

The sunny sky was perfect for a walk, so he decided to do just that. Riding would bring him there faster, but his gut feeling told him that he didn’t have to rush. So he took his time, and leisurely walked towards the location that was marked on his phone.

People passed him with rushed steps, most of them were probably headed to work, while others took time and walked at a leisurely pace. He saw parents holding hands with their children, smiles on their lips, and brightness filling their faces. It was nice to have this kind of walk occasionally, he got to watch people while he followed his map.

As he passed a police station, he heard an old man taking a deep, defeated sigh. He immediately looked, by instinct, to see if there’s anything he can help with. But much to his surprise, the man that just earned his attention was the same man in the ID he saw in the wallet.

“Ah!” Chanyeol unconsciously let out a loud sound that startled the old man. He immediately covered his mouth to bow at the latter who was surprised at his sudden outburst. “I’m sorry for surprising you! I… well… actually…”

Chanyeol pulled out the wallet he found from his back pocket, revealing it to the old man who he startled. “I found this! I was going to your workplace to return it to you but I…”

“Ah! This! Thank you! Thank you so much for finding it!” the old man thanked, repeatedly bowing despite their age gap. 

The tall young man immediately reached out to the old guy to stop him from bowing. It was understandable that he’d bow out of gratitude, but he was more satisfied with the fact that he managed to return the wallet above anything else. “Oh, it’s fine sir. I’m just glad I got to give it back.” He smiled brightly at the old man who looked at him with teary eyes. 

‘That must’ve been important to him.’ Chanyeol thought to himself as he bid farewell to the old guy. He smiled to himself, feeling content about the good deed that started his day. He couldn’t even help but smile out as he remembered how happy the old guy was when he returned the wallet.

Now that he was done with that, he felt his stomach rumble. He gave out a satisfied sigh before looking around to check at the available restaurants that were open. Since he hasn’t found a proper place to work yet, the disappointment that once clouded his heart lifted slightly. The old guy's smile was enough to reward his aching heart and bring back a smile to his face too. He headed off to go into a food stall that didn’t cost too much. He still needed to save the remaining money in his savings; which wasn’t that much. Calculating it properly, he only has about a month’s worth before it all goes away.

He thought about walking around to apply to different jobs again today, but he felt like he needed a time of rest because of the continuous rejections he got. He has been thinking about a day off and today just happened to start off without a problem.

“Here’s your order, son,” the waitress said, putting his plate on the table.

Chanyeol immediately bowed and thanked her as he gobbled down the food. It was one of the most enjoyable moments in his life that he was always grateful for. To have the opportunity to eat delicious food while one was still alive was such a blessing. So as long as he was alive, he would make sure to eat delicious food.

As he left the stall, he saw the old man that dropped his wallet. He was surprised to see that the plastic bag he had broken. He immediately headed over to help him since there didn’t seem to be anyone else helping him.

“Ah, let me help you with that sir.” Chanyeol offered, picking up what looked like grocery items that the old guy got from the store.

‘No wonder he needed his wallet.’ He thought as he helped the old guy.

“Oh! Young lad… It’s you again. Aigooo… Thank you for helping this old man. I seem to have a terrible stroke of luck today,” the old man stated as he shook his head.

Chanyeol could feel the sound of defeat intertwined in the old guy’s voice. He really sounded disappointed, even worse than what Chanyeol felt at the start of the day. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie towards the old man; the feeling of disappointment that he initially felt was resurfacing as he helped.

“Thank you for your assistance young man… I wasn’t able to ask you a while ago, but may I ask what your name is?”

“It’s Park Chanyeol,” Chanyeol answered with a bright smile. “Oh… Uhm…”

“My name is Lee Dae Yeon…” the old guy, named Daeyeon, nodded.

“Oh… uh, are your bags torn?” Chanyeol noticed that Daeyeon had a weary look when his bags were destroyed. It was definitely something he’d like to help with. “I could put your stuff in my bag for now, where are you headed off to?”

“Ah, I was headed home. This is so embarrassing, but if it’s not too much of a bother, I would be really thankful if you could help me.” The old man bowed again.

Chanyeol just sported a smile as he helped the old guy. As they headed off to Daeyeon’s house, the old man started talking about his day. How he lost his wallet, went to the grocery store to pick up food when he realized that he didn’t have his wallet. It was embarrassing for him, so he went to the police station to report it, but they were too busy, so they didn’t even pay him any attention. When he met Chanyeol, he was happy to receive his wallet back and thought that his day would be better, but it didn’t turn out as he hoped.

Chanyeol listened to him, knowing how the old man was probably tired. He let out a concerned smile while leaving his ears out to hear the man’s weary heart.

“This is my home,” Daeyeon stated when they finally reached a building complex. The old man ushered Chanyeol inside which made him chuckle. “Ah, I should head in first. It's hard to adjust back to the human ways after a night at my job.”

“You work nights, sir?” Chanyeol asked in astonishment. Seeing how old the guy was, he was surprised to know that he worked nights.

The old man let out a hearty laugh; he let out a benign smile that made his eyes turn into crescents while nodding at Chanyeol. “Yes. I work at a tavern.”

Chanyeol remembered the business card the guy carried in his wallet. He also remembered the name since it was quite unique, and he had to search for its meaning. “Oh, the guiding star tavern?” He unconsciously let out.

“Hoho.” Daeyeon let out, “You’re able to read it?”

“I looked up the meaning. It sounded cool, though. Oh, which floor do you live at?” Chanyeol asked. He was surprised to see the old man’s cold eyes looking at him. Gone was the kindness that glazed along it moments ago. Chanyeol felt chills run down his spine at the coldness of the guy’s eyes, but when he looked down he was still smiling.

“The first floor. Let me serve you tea for helping me today, I know how to make delicious tea,” Daeyeon stated.

Chanyeol noticed how Daeyeon’s eyes turned soft again after he answered. Thinking about it, maybe the old guy didn’t want to talk about his workplace. Or maybe he thought it was creepy that Chanyeol knew where he worked. Not that he wanted to pry at the old guy’s life, he just wanted a way to return his wallet, so he had to look into it. Then he remembered how he told the old guy that he was supposed to return it to his workplace and he didn’t give that kind of gaze. Maybe he said something wrong without realizing. He shrugged his shoulders as he followed the old guy into his apartment.

The moment the old guy opened the door, Chanyeol was amazed at how clean the place is. A circular rug was laid on the floor in front of an L-shaped couch with a big low table on it. He noticed a television across the table. Behind the couch was a big wall and a door at the end of the couch, which Chanyeol assumed was the bedroom. Beside the door was a small kitchen space. He liked how well maintained it was since it was still shining.

“It looks cosy,” Chanyeol stated while looking around.

“It’s just this old man’s humble abode.” Daeyeon smiled.

“Oh, your groceries. Where would you like me to put them?” Chanyeol asked. He then followed Daeyeon to where he was supposed to bring the items. The old guy pointed at the dining table and told Chanyeol to place it there.

Chanyeol didn’t want to bother the old man too much, since he did say that he was working nights. He knows that Daeyeon was supposed to sleep and rest. So after drinking the tea, he bid farewell and headed off to a PC room to play some games. He told himself that it would be the last time he was going to waste money like this. After some time, he noticed a promotion going on with the PC room’s vending machine.

“It’s like a _gacha_ game. Though it costs a lot, the prizes are worth it,” the cashier told him. “You should try it out. There’s a lot of prizes there, I even won a Nintendo switch,” she added with a proud smirk.

Chanyeol sighed as he shook his head. He couldn’t believe how such a scam was tempting him so much. Then he remembered the old guy he met earlier during the day. Since he seemed to be a source of luck to the guy, he shrugged his shoulders and thought, ‘ _ Might as well. _ ’

Much to his surprise, he got a coupon for a free meal for 2. He chuckled bitterly when he read through it. It was apparent that the coupon was to be used for a date, but he was sure he would never use it. Maybe he could just call one of his friends to eat out.

The moment he got out of the PC room, he was surprised yet again.

“Oh… Daeyeon-nim?” Chanyeol called out when he saw the familiar old guy standing outside. He was surprised to see the old man yet again. 

“Oh-ho… This seems awfully intentional now.” The old man gave out a deep sigh as he shook his head. There was a spark of acknowledgement from the old guy’s eyes that pulled Chanyeol’s curiosity.

“Are you headed off to work?” Chanyeol asked, awkwardly smiling at the old man.

Daeyeon looked Chanyeol straight into his eyes as he let out a smirk, “Park Chanyeol-ssi, are you looking for a job?”

  
  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

  
  


Chanyeol bit his lips as he looked around. Though he often passes here, he has never seen this place before.

The building looked out of place in the middle of such gorgeous houses that surrounded it. Lush greenery surrounded the establishment which looked magnificent. By the looks of it, it was straight out of a fantasy world manga, and it made Chanyeol scoff in disbelief. How could he have missed something so fascinating?

“This is the Taverna della Stella Guida.” Daeyeon smiled at the youngster, who was busy looking around the place. There was a mischievous smile on his face that Chanyeol didn’t notice, but his eyes were twinkling with hope.

The old man turned around and headed for the huge dark brown fibreglass entry door. It didn’t look like the lights were on from the outside, but once the doors opened, a warm light seeped through. 

As the ring of the bell resounded around the place, Chanyeol couldn’t help but hold his breath with his nerves tingling all over his body.

A long granite bar counter was located at the left side from the entrance. Several long chairs stood by the counter while tables and chairs were positioned on its opposite. Behind the bar counter was a rectangular hole where part of the kitchen was visible. Beside the bar counter was a door that leads to the back of the house.

When Chanyeol finally entered, his footsteps halted as soon as his eyes landed on someone standing near the bar counter.

He wasn’t sure what happened. But everything else seemed to have disappeared around him. The only thing his mind concentrated on was the guy standing a few meters from him. He was smaller than Chanyeol in height, but something about him felt like he was bigger than Chanyeol. The taller could hear his heart thumping loudly in his chest, as if those eyes that looked back at him were familiar. So familiar that it felt as if he had seen it, longed for it, despite never seeing it in the years of his life. He wanted to say something, let out words that his heart seemed to desire, but nothing came out of his lips.

The man he was looking at had the same expression Chanyeol had. He was surprised, yet there was a look of longing in his eyes as if they’ve met before. If time knew how to stop ticking, the two would be staring at each other for ages.

“Welcome to Taverna della Stella Guida.” Chanyeol was pulled out of his trance by the sudden greeting of someone beside him. He didn’t even notice the guy when they entered, since the one near the bar counter immediately captured his eyes.

“Uh… Yeah… Hi.”

“This is the young man I was talking to you about Minseok-nim,” the old man Daeyeon stated, his tone seemed proud for some reason.

The man Daeyeon called Minseok had this mischievous looking smirk with cat-like eyes. “Ah! Is he, now?” He clapped. 

“I met him twice this morning. And when I met him for the third time, I followed your instructions and guided him here.”

Minseok had a satisfied smile on his lips as he listened to the old man’s statement. “You did great. It looks like… he’s the one. My name is Kim Minseok. I’m the general manager of the tavern.” He let out a sweet smile at Chanyeol as he reached out a hand. There was a spark of mischievous in his eyes as he looked at the new arrival.

Chanyeol, on the other hand, felt his insides churn while he looked at Minseok’s hand. He shouldn’t feel that way but somehow he did. He hesitantly reached out his hand to shake Minseok’s. “Uh… I’m Park, Chanyeol. N-Nice to meet you.”

Minseok’s brows shoot up as if realizing something. The general manager suddenly glanced behind him to look at the person who stole Chanyeol’s attention when he entered. Gone was the smirk on his lips, but now he was grinning, as if figuring out a puzzle with Chanyeol as the final piece.

Chanyeol wasn’t sure what was going on but his gaze followed where Minseok was looking, and he also looked at the other guy.

“Ah… where are my manners? This is Doh Kyungsoo, he’s the owner of this lovely, lovely tavern.” Minseok let out a smile as he let go of Chanyeol’s hand. He took a step back to give the two some space, yet they didn’t realize how his eyes had narrowed like a cat who had a mischievous idea.

Kyungsoo took a step forward while looking at Chanyeol, he let out a smile before reaching out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you… Chanyeol.”

It was the way Kyungsoo looked at Chanyeol, and the way he said his name. Chanyeol felt like his heart was familiar with Kyungsoo’s tone, with the way his lips shaped into the way his name was pronounced, the way his name sounded so endearing coming out of his lips. Chanyeol found himself trapped in the owner’s gaze. And once he reached for Kyungsoo’s hands, it felt as if it was supposed to be there. A puzzle piece fitting right into his.

“N-Nice to meet you too, Kyungsoo.” The name felt so familiar to him. As if he’s already said it a million times despite meeting the owner for the first time.

“Okay… So… Daeyeon said you were looking for work?” Minseok’s sudden interruption immediately broke Their moment.

“A-ah… Yeah… I mean, yes, sir. I am. But, well, I wasn’t able to bring my resume, but I do have an e-copy,” Chanyeol answered.

“That should be fine. We can proceed to the interview if you’re ready,” Minseok stated without much of an explanation. With the way he acted prim and proper, it was like he was purposefully scaring the new arrival. 

Chanyeol nodded his head, intending to follow the general manager, but he suddenly heard someone clearing his throat. As he looked, he noticed that Kyungsoo was looking right at him. “My… hand?”

“Ah! S-sorry!” Chanyeol immediately apologized as he let go.

He wasn’t sure what it was, but the moment he let go of Kyungsoo, his heart felt lonely. His gut pushed him to hold Kyungsoo’s hand again, but he just ignored it and proceeded to follow Minseok.

Kyungsoo went ahead as Chanyeol hesitated. Though the tavern owner turned his back at Chanyeol, there was a sense of longing in the newbie’s chest that he couldn’t understand. He shook his head before following to the back of the house.

“Daeyeon! Take care of the front for me while we interview this new one.” Minseok called out, and the old man immediately bowed his head to agree.

Beyond the tall black swinging doors was a hall coloured with monochromatic colours. Light grey on top while the other three-quarters of it was filled with a dark grey hue. Chanyeol looked to his left and there were several doors beyond the hall. Though the Tavern looked small from the outside, it looked oddly large inside. It felt like those tents they used in Harry Potter and it amazed Chanyeol.

_ ‘I didn’t think it would be this big.’ _ Chanyeol thought to himself 

“This way.” Chanyeol heard Minseok’s voice and he immediately looked to his right where Minseok and Kyungsoo were waiting by a door.

They ushered him to sit as the two looked at the email that Chanyeol sent them. Since he only had an e-copy, they asked him to send it to them via email. They were reading through his resume while nodding their heads.

“Well, first off, if you’re going to work here you’ll be replacing old guy Dae. His work revolves around completing any human-related headaches, like renewing the licenses and settling human relations,” Minseok explained. “He’s also responsible for bringing the souls into the east stairwell or the west stairwell.”

“Uh… S-sorry to interrupt but… What do you mean by souls?”

Minseok and Kyungsoo glanced at each other before looking at Chanyeol with a wary look on their faces. Chanyeol couldn’t help but look at them, eyeing one after the other since none of them answered his question. He furrowed his brows as the silence in the room stood still.

“Dae said you managed to read the business card… is that true?” Minseok asked and Chanyeol immediately nodded his head. 

“Yeah, it was this tavern’s name. I had to search it up to translate it.”

Minseok let out a concerned breath while Kyungsoo just looked at him with worry evident in his eyes. Minseok, who held the resume, put it down on the table and ironed it with his hand while Kyungsoo continued to look at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol wondered why the two were acting so weird when he just asked a simple question. “Sorry but, you guys are kind of freaking me out. Is there something wrong with my question?”

“When Dae brought you here, what exactly did he say his work was?”

“I saw it in his business card that he’s the Human Affairs Manager. Isn’t that like… HR or something?”

“N-No, Chanyeol-ssi. It means he takes care of any human-related business that the tavern needs because this place acts as a crossroad for souls,” Kyungsoo answered.

Chanyeol furrowed his brows as he listened to their explanation. He shook his head as he skeptically looked at them. “I mean if you don’t want me to get the job… I totally understand.”

Minseok shook his head as he waved his hands, “No, no, it’s not that we don’t want you to. We actually need a replacement for Dae as soon as possible. But you seem to have the wrong impression of the tavern. This place isn’t a normal one.”

“You can see it for yourself.” Kyungsoo chimed as he and Minseok stood up.

Chanyeol followed the two back to where they were, right out into the front of the house. He didn’t believe what they were saying at all. Who, in their right mind, would believe that this was a place for dead people? No one would. He confidently followed them right out into the front of the house where he stopped on his tracks as he saw the main door open. In came a man who was holding his severed head. Chanyeol’s eyes widened and soon he sank into the darkness of oblivion.


	4. Chapter 4

Chanyeol flinched awake. He immediately gasped for breath as soon as he woke up. Turning to his right, he was surprised and relieved to see Kyungsoo sitting by the bed. Then he remembered what he just saw before he fainted.

“A-are you… Are you a ghost?”

He watched how the tavern owner’s lips turned into a beautiful heart-shaped smile as he chuckled. “No… I’m not.”

“Then, are you a human?” Chanyeol asked, but Kyungsoo just shook his head as a response. “If you’re neither of those… then what are you?”

“That’s a secret.” Kyungsoo smiled at him. “And since you’re asking all of these questions, can I assume that you’re fine now?”

Chanyeol nodded in response. Though he remembered how frightened he was when he saw the headless man a moment ago, he couldn’t deny that seeing Kyungsoo calmed him. It was odd, of course, seeing that someone he just met gave him this kind of relief. Even if he couldn’t explain what it was about Kyungsoo that calmed him, he trusted his heart more than the reasons his brain was trying to conjure.

“Are you curious about this tavern?” Chanyeol’s eyes saw the benign smile on Kyungsoo’s lips. The look in the owner’s eyes was serene, tender.

“Mm… Is this… some kind of place where spirits can get wasted and party?” Chanyeol asked which earned a snort from Kyungsoo, followed by a cute chuckle.

“First of all, Spirits and souls are different. Spirits are beings that emerge from different natural elements. Souls, on the other hand, are the spiritual essence of humans like you. Once a human body dies, their soul gets separated, and they find their way into the tavern. This tavern is the core of life’s crossroads where souls are either reincarnated, sent to heaven, or…”

Chanyeol noticed how Kyungsoo hesitated to say the last option. Though the owner didn’t continue, Chanyeol figured that the last one meant eternal damnation. “Hell?” Chanyeol saw Kyungsoo’s eyes glisten with an apologetic look after he finished the sentence for him.

“Yes. That’s what the Tavern is for.” Kyungsoo nodded. There was a worried look in his eyes as he observed Chanyeol. Hearing odd things like this would usually drive someone to the edge. Humans are fragile creatures, and Kyungsoo couldn’t help but worry for Chanyeol since he seemed to be one of the more fragile ones that he has come across.

As he continued to look at Chanyeol, a flash of memory passed in Kyungsoo’s mind.

_ “Soo.” Smiled a man who was wearing traditional Korean clothing, eyes twinkling as he looked at Kyungsoo. _

Kyungsoo smiled at Chanyeol, “Would you like to watch how the tavern operates?”

Chanyeol bit his lip as he thought about Kyungsoo’s offer. Looking at those eyes, he could feel how willing he was to agree to the offer. But he had to think this through since he didn’t want to faint again.

“I assure you that it would clarify your questions. Well, at least most of them if not all.” Kyungsoo smiled as he stood from his chair before reaching out his hand towards Chanyeol.

Somewhere in his mind, the hand that reached out to him felt so familiar that his body unconsciously grabbed it. He pulled Kyungsoo’s hand until their faces were inches against each other. Eyes drowning into the emotions that each carried, breaths evened out as they inhaled and exhaled, and hearts drumming in a chorused beat.

Chanyeol didn’t notice it before, but Kyungsoo’s brown eyes had a very defined black that outlined his iris while a silver crystal-like colour grew out of his pupil. It was mesmerizing, hypnotizing him into staring more into those eyes that seemed to send him into the abyss of serenity.

But before he could fall deeper, Kyungsoo closed his eyes. “You shouldn’t look too deep into my eyes, you might get lost.”

“I don’t think I’d get lost if I can ask you for directions, right?” Chanyeol bit his lip as he tried to stop a smile from leaking out of his lips.

The way Kyungsoo opened his eyes felt like time had suddenly stopped from moving. “You sly punk.” Yet a vibrant smile was painted across his lips as he stared at Chanyeol.

It didn’t take long before Kyungsoo convinced Chanyeol to step back out into the front of the house. Once they crossed the doors that split the back and front, Chanyeol instinctively held Kyungsoo’s sleeve. He was so conscious of what was happening around him that he didn’t even notice how Kyungsoo spared his hand a glance before peeking at his face, nor did he witness how Kyungsoo had a look of anticipation as he slowly guided Chanyeol out.

“Is it alright to be giving kids alcohol?” Chanyeol asked, concern evident in his tone and the way his eyes wavered as he looked at the child-like appearances that sat in front of the bar counter.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. It’s a  _ minor _ problem,” Kyungsoo smirked which earned a baffled look from Chanyeol. Mindlessly ignoring the chuckling Minseok at the side who heard the joke, which he thought would lighten Chanyeol’s emotions.

“Even if you add the ages of the ones sitting in front of the counter… I’d think they’d still fall under the age of 50,” Chanyeol stated as his eyes clouded with the emotions of concern.

“Don’t worry, human. They may look like children to you, but they’re older than you.” Chanyeol heard Minseok’s unexpected chime into their conversation.

Chanyeol’s grip on Kyungsoo’s sleeve tightened as he leaned forward to whisper to the owner’s ear. “I-is Minseok a ghost?”

“Let me explain why there are kids at the bar counter,” Kyungsoo started, completely ignoring the question from Chanyeol. “Those souls that look like children are ones who have been cleansed of their memories. Do you know the phrase ‘No man knows the value of innocence and integrity, but he who has lost them’?” Kyungsoo looked at Chanyeol, who shook his head to a decisive ‘no’. “Humans are creatures who lose their innocence as their knowledge of the world grows. That man who stands behind the bar is a  _ Spirit of Void _ that cleanses the souls of memories that they hold dear. It’s a way of repentance and payment to the tavern that housed them,” he added.

“So… he gives them alcohol to forget?” Chanyeol asks. “Sounds like a human thing.”

Kyungsoo had this entertained look on his face as he answered Chanyeol’s question. “It’s something like that… maybe.” An unsure look flooded over the owner’s eyes which Chanyeol didn’t like.

“A-aren’t you sure about it?” Chanyeol asked.

“Some souls enjoy a shot of vodka from time to time, who am I to shoot down their request when they’re already dead?” Kyungsoo shrugged his shoulders.

“Is that why the kids have white eyes, and the older ghosts have black eyes?” Chanyeol asked in a hushed tone.

Kyungsoo immediately turned his head to look at him square in the eyes. It was obvious that he was surprised by the information he heard from Chanyeol. “You…? You can see the colours of their eyes?”

Chanyeol didn’t think much of Kyungsoo’s question as his eyes roamed around the tavern. He was wary of his environment since several souls looked terrifying, albeit some who looked like children who didn’t fit well in the tavern. “Yeah… the younger ones have white eyes, there are also grey and black ones. You guys don’t see them?” He wondered as he looked at Kyungsoo.

There was a hint of amazement in the owner’s face, like some sort of satisfied expression after what Chanyeol said. Pride radiated off Chanyeol after seeing this. He felt elated at the tavern owner's odd expression as if it was meant to be.

“There was only one person who could see the colour of the soul’s eyes. It was a  _ gift. _ That only he possessed,” Kyungsoo stated. “And it looks like you have it too.”

“S-so what you guys are trying to do is to cleanse the black colour from their eyes to turn it to white?” Chanyeol watched as Kyungsoo nodded at his question. “How does that work?”

“Since you could see something interesting, I’ll tell you a secret. The guy that’s right behind the bar counter is a Spirit called Yixing. He is a spirit of Void who gives them drinks that cleanse the impurities in their souls. Once the impurities are cleansed, they leave an orb that’s as big as a marble which becomes our currency. The deeper the colour of the marble, the more precious it is,” Kyungsoo explains while Chanyeol nods.

“Where do the souls get them from if they are already dead?”

“Those are physical representations of their memories,” Kyungsoo adds in.

Chanyeol gasped at the additional information, his brain piecing together everything. He realized that the impurities that Kyungsoo was talking about are the memories that humans accumulate as they span their life on earth. He then realized why the souls turned into children since the most innocent state a human being could ever be in would be their early stages of life. He couldn’t help but smile after looking around again. Though his heart was hammering inside his chest due to the fear he held, he also felt a sense of content that souls don’t just go to heaven or hell.

“Those orbs are also equivalent to how young they become. The richer the colour, the younger they become. Human memories hold deep emotions tied to them. Therefore when they release those memories, they go back to their purest forms.” Chanyeol nodded at the additional information that Kyungsoo said.

“Oh, so that’s when they get to choose?” Chanyeol asked.

Kyungsoo took a deep breath as he watched one of the souls turn into a small child with the brightest smile on their face. “That’s when they are given a choice to rest or to play.”

“Do you give the choices?” Chanyeol asked as he looked at Kyungsoo.

“I do. Though I greet the guests like a doorman, I’m the one who gives them the choices after they reach a certain point,” Minseok suddenly chimed in. “Dae is usually the one working as a doorman, but he’s currently helping Jongin with a soul.”

“What do you mean?”

“After a soul chooses one of the options, one of the spirits escorts them to a special door in the tavern. Depending on their choices, the content of the door changes to fit their selection. Right now, our resident Spirit of the Earth is the one guiding the soul while Dae unlocks the doors.” Minseok answered with a smile. “Since only a human can hold the key.”

Chanyeol noticed how Minseok gave Kyungsoo a knowing look. He wondered what it was about but decided not to question it. Rather, he let out another question regarding Minseok’s statement. “So that’s why you need a human to work here? Why can’t you guys hold the key?”

“Beats me. None of us really know why.”

Chanyeol could see that Minseok knew something, but he didn’t want to pry nor did he want to ask why he was hiding it. He then wondered, “If the good souls turn into children, what happens to bad ones?”

“Unfortunately for those spirits, their drinks become black and sticky like tar. In those cases, there’s a high chance that they become vengeful spirits.”

Chanyeol furrowed his brows as he listened to Kyungsoo’s explanation. He then noticed something odd. “Kyungsoo?” He called out.

“Mm?”

“How come his eyes are red?”

Kyungsoo’s eyes turned into saucers as Chanyeol pointed at the soul he was referring to. The soul sneered at the human that pointed at it. His head twisted around with cracking noises as it let out an ominous grin. Its head turned 360 degrees before climbing onto the table like a wild animal. A disgusting tar-like substance dripped onto the table as it lunged forward to jump onto Chanyeol.

The vicious look in the ghost’s eyes scared Chanyeol. His insides shook and though he wanted to run away, his body was frozen in fear. He couldn’t move, nor could he look away. It happened in an instant that even his mind had a hard time processing what was happening.

However, before the ghost could even reach them, everything stopped moving the moment Kyungsoo stepped in front of Chanyeol. His arms were raised, his eyes were glowing, and a frown was evident on his lips. Time stood still for everyone with the exception of the tavern owner and the ghost that was suspended in the air. Kyungsoo was glaring at the vengeful ghost aiming for Chanyeol, he couldn’t help but grit his teeth as the feeling of anger surrounded him.

The ghost’s eyes kept moving in different directions as Kyungsoo stopped everything. Though the ghost tried its best to break away from Kyungsoo’s control, the only thing it could do was wriggle its limbs like a marionette with broken strings.

As Kyungsoo held the ghost in midair, a black smoke seeped through the bottom of the main door. The smoke crawled up and enveloped the ghost in its darkness. A loud screeching sound echoed inside the tavern as the smoke consumed the ghost in its entirety. The vastness of the smoke slowly compressed, accompanied by cracking noises and angered shrieks, and soon, it vanished. At that point, Kyungsoo released his control over the tavern, and everything started moving again.

Chanyeol let out a gasp as he stepped back while raising his arms in a protective shield. He was frightened, terrified of the ghost that was about to lunge at him. Was it about to eat him? Kill him? What was it going to do once it reached Chanyeol? So many questions in his head as he darted his eyes here and there. But he was shocked that nothing seemed to come to him. He carefully lowered his arms and noticed that the ghost was nowhere to be seen, and everyone in the tavern didn’t seem to have seen anything.

Kyungsoo, on the other hand, turned around with worry evident in his eyes. After he lowered his arms, he immediately cupped Chanyeol’s face, pulling him closer to observe him. “A-Are you alright? Does anything hurt? Is your mind okay? Are your eyes working?”

Chanyeol couldn’t answer any of Kyungsoo’s questions. Not that he was hurt but because his heart was beating so loudly in his chest that it’s the only thing he heard. With their faces inches away from each other, Chanyeol felt his whole body freeze, not because of fear this time, but because of something else.

“Don’t you think that’s a little too overreacting? You’re smothering the guy, boss.” A new voice spoke while Kyungsoo was still holding on to Chanyeol tightly.

“Are you planning to kiss him?” another voice called out and Chanyeol noticed the colour of Kyungsoo’s face turn red. He watched as Kyungsoo’s eyes widened when he realized what he was doing.

Kyungsoo let go of Chanyeol’s cheeks, though the latter could feel that he was hesitant. The tavern owner looked away before looking back at Chanyeol, “A-are you alright…?”

Chanyeol was still mesmerized by Kyungsoo’s eyes that he found it hard to give a reply. Though he stuttered it out, he managed to convey what was inside his heart. “Your eyes are beautiful.” He could see how the tavern owner’s ears turned red after what he said. In truth, when he realized what he just said, his face also turned red.

“Baekhyun, Sehun, stop teasing him. You know what’ll happen to the place if you continue that.” Minseok rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“But we’re just telling the truth!” Sehun whimpered at the manager of the tavern.

Chanyeol was amazed how the tall guy managed to move from a far place to Minseok’s side instantly. He moved so fast as if the wind carried him. He also noticed the split coloured polo that the other was wearing, one side was white while the other was black, on top of black slacks and a grey half apron.

“Truth or not, you know how bashful he is!” Minseok clicked his tongue before glaring at the other waiter. “Ah, this is a good chance. Chanyeol, this is Sehun, one of our tavern’s waiters. The other one right over there is Baekhyun.”

“Nice to meet you!” Sehun grinned as he waved at Chanyeol.

Meanwhile, the other waiter just sneered at Chanyeol when they made eye contact. Chanyeol wasn’t sure why but he looked away afterwards. As they continued to tease and cause more ruckus someone suddenly raised a question that

“Are you alright? Would you like something to drink?” Chanyeol and Kyungsoo looked at the source of the voice to see Yixing looking at them with this solemn expression on his face while the waiters and Minseok raised their brows in surprise.

“Y-Yixing, that’s… I-I don’t think that’s necessary,” Kyungsoo called out in a stutter.

Chanyeol could see the hesitation in the tavern owner’s face as he looked at Yixing. It reminded him of what they just talked about and he felt a line of shiver crawl up his spine as he looked at Yixing. Was the guy trying to erase his memory? Chanyeol felt this unexplainable ache in his chest as his gaze fell on Kyungsoo. He could see how devastated he was while looking at Yixing and it somehow answered his question.

With this thought troubling his mind, Chanyeol felt his insides churn. Though he had to admit that what happened shook him from his core, it didn’t mean that he wanted to forget everything. He thought about what he’d forget if he ever took that drink, and his heart shook at the thought of forgetting Kyungsoo. Without notice, his gaze was locked on Kyungsoo’s face. Worry was evident in it and it just made Chanyeol feel unsure.

“N-No…” Chanyeol shook his head as he looked at Yixing in horror.

“It’s water from Junmyeon,” Yixing answered as a smile spread out against his stoic face. Though he was smiling, it didn’t reach his eyes, making Chanyeol feel even more scared of him.

“I-I’m sorry, Kyungsoo. I-I don’t think I can work here.” Chanyeol took a step back which made Yixing tilt his head, looking like he was questioning Chanyeol’s movement.

The tavern owner looked back at Chanyeol with disappointment in his eyes but, nevertheless, he nodded. “I understand. Minseok will let you out.”

Chanyeol turned towards Minseok before heading out. As they left the tavern, the manager called out to him. He turned around to listen to what Minseok was going to say.

“Don’t hesitate.”

Chanyeol wrinkled his forehead while looking at Minseok. The manager smiled at him before nodding him goodbye. As he continued to walk away from the tavern, he felt this overwhelming loneliness envelope his chest. He gripped the strap of his backpack before looking back at the moon-lit tavern. It looked like it was shining under the moonlight, which was calling him back, enticing him to return and stay. But he shook his head to clear his mind and continued to walk away.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Chapter 5

Wake up, eat, apply online, go out to look for a job, go home to eat, wait for a response, dread life, contemplate existence, sleep.

This was Chanyeol’s schedule for at least a week after what happened in the tavern. Several times, he woke up in the middle of the night due to nightmares plaguing him. He would get up to drink water, let out deep breaths to stabilize the pounding in his chest, but that wasn’t something he could easily let go.

But there was something that bothered him. Like a part of him was missing and he couldn’t understand what was going on. He would often look out his window while holding his glass of water, staring into the brightness of the moon that brightened the night sky.

Though there were times when he got nightmares, he also got pleasant dreams that comforted him. Dreams where he would spend time with Kyungsoo. Talking inside the tavern as he sat on the tall bar chair, watching Kyungsoo as he mixed drinks before serving it to him. Dreams where he sat inside the owner’s office as he helped him through that paperwork that filled the table. Dreams where they would play in the garden as they splashed water to each other, hoses on their hands with smiles on their face. Dreams where nothing but pleasant moments felt like memories passing in his mind with the continuous appearance of Kyungsoo and his lovely smile.

They felt natural as if he was living in them. His dreams were so vivid that he couldn’t discern whether they were figments of his imagination despite waking up every single time. It felt too real to be just a dream, and it made him wonder if it was the reason why his heart longed to go back.

His eyes darted to the business card on the nightstand. It looked like it was glowing again, inviting him to step closer, pulling him to return.

But he bit his lip as he turned away from it. He made up his mind, and the words that Minseok said were stamped in it, reminding him of his choice.

“What happened to you?” Chanyeol’s friend, Doo Young, asked him one afternoon when they decided to visit his flat. Their other friend, Gang Woo, held Chanyeol’s shoulders while looking at his face. “Do you even eat? You’re too skinny! If you apply as a tree, you’ll be overqualified.”

“Yah! You know I never skip meals. I’m fine. I just… I’ve been applying everywhere, but I can’t seem to get hired anywhere.” Chanyeol confessed, pushing his friend’s hands away from his shoulders.

His friends glanced at each other before looking back at Chanyeol with worried gazes. “Have you gotten any interviews?”

“Yeah… But no callbacks.” Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders before shaking his head. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I’ll probably get one soon. Anyway, let’s have a drink!” he uttered, pulling himself away from his friend’s presence.

  
  


The darkness invaded the sky, and time passed as the night grew deeper. Their topics changed from one to another until the topics became more sensitive. The deeper their talks became, the lower they placed themselves in the living room. From the couch, they were now sitting on the carpeted floor. The two were leaning on the table while Chanyeol was resting his back on the couch with an absentminded gaze on the ceiling.

“Tell us about her,” Gang Woo of them asked, earning Chanyeol’s attention.

“What are you talking about? Are you drunk?” There was a disgusted look on Chanyeol’s face as he glanced at his friend.

His friend clicked his tongue before raising his arm as if planning to hit Chanyeol. “Idiot! I’m just saying… more than looking like you’re disappointed, you look like someone who’s broken-hearted.”

Chanyeol scoffed at the sudden statement. He couldn’t believe what Gang Woo just said. Call it possessiveness, but he didn’t want to share anything about his dreams or the tavern. To him, it felt like a precious memory that he didn’t want others to find out. He wasn’t sure why he felt this way, but he felt possessive over those memories even though most of them were just dreams.

“He’s right. You look like you got dumped. Did you get a girlfriend?” the other added, voice raised in obvious jealousy. “You lucky bastard!”

“Yah! You idiot I don’t have one!” Chanyeol immediately grunted while the two snorted at his response.

“Ahh, he got rejected.”

“He definitely got rejected.”

“I didn’t get rejected!” Chanyeol defended, but the two continued to tease him as laughter ensued.

“But seriously bro… what’s up with you? You have that same look in your eyes when you found out that the girl you liked had a boyfriend.” Gang Woo’s voice sounded more sincere now than before after taking a breath due to laughter.

Doo Young sighed before raising his brows at his friend. “He’s right. It’s the same when you realized that the boy you liked had a boyfriend too. So… do you wanna talk about it?”

Chanyeol looked at them with hesitation in his eyes. He could feel his heart aching as he thought about Kyungsoo. For some reason, he was all that he could think about after hearing what his friends said. Nibbling his lips, he gazed at the moon through the window as he closed his eyes. A clear image of Kyungsoo smiling at him appeared despite the darkness that swallowed his sight.

“His smile… I can’t get his smile out of my head.” Chanyeol uttered before letting out a sigh.

“A smile?” Gang Woo chuckled.

Chanyeol opened his eyes as he glanced at them. “I don’t know. I don’t understand it either. His smile is stuck on my head, but there’s this weird feeling in my chest, and I don’t know what to do.”

“What’s stopping you?” Doo Young asked, tilting his head while looking at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol bit his inner cheek. He didn’t want to let out the words because he thought it was embarrassing to admit it. He shook his head before scratching his brows.

Having Chanyeol as a friend, the two already knew what was going on in his mind. Chanyeol had a habit of scratching his brows when he was confused or when he didn’t want to admit something. The two looked at each other before smiling back at their confused friend.

“Remember that time when I cried like an idiot because my girlfriend dumped me when I didn’t give her enough attention?” Doo Young suddenly said, chuckling in disgust towards himself. “I wasn’t sure if it was just tears or snot, but you guys still remained by my side. We’re still friends even though I’m a loser.”

“Don’t forget I acted like a total jerk that one time too. But you still accepted me back, and I got drunk because I was so relieved. I thought I’d wake up swimming in my own puke, but you guys helped me through the night. I’m an embarrassment, but I’m still your friend, right?” Gang Woo chimed in, understanding what his friend was trying to do.

Chanyeol listened to what they said, reminiscing about their past made him smile. The thoughts of embarrassing stories repeated in his mind, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. His anxiety was soon alleviated as he looked at them, he could see that they were just waiting for him to answer the initial question. “The only thing stopping me is because I’m afraid.”

The two couldn’t help but chuckle after hearing what Chanyeol said. They couldn’t help but let out a sigh as Chanyeol threw the soju cap at them, which they luckily avoided.

“You know that’s just a defence mechanism that’s stopping you from chasing after what you want in life, right? You say you’re afraid. But the truth is, you refuse to acknowledge your charms!”

Doo Young clicked his tongue before poking the other’s forehead. “That’s what being afraid is idiot.”

“Oh? Is it? Hah! Then…” Gang Woo cleared his throat before looking at Chanyeol instead. “Why are you afraid?”

“Just… There are so many reasons, but I can’t tell you.” Chanyeol looked away, unsure how to explain it because he was sure that talking about spirits, gods, and souls wasn’t something an average person would simply accept. Unless they were provided with evidence, that is.

And then he remembered how he accepted everything at face-value after seeing souls, which made him groan in disgust.

“Sounds to me that you’re just hesitating, bro.” Doo young shrugged.

Chanyeol’s eyes darted at his friend with what he heard. “Hesitating?”

“Yeah. I mean… if you have so many reasons and excuses, isn’t that because you’re hesitant about the future? What’s that saying again? That thing about a will and a way?”

“How does anyone make a way through a will? What the fuck are you smoking?” Gang Woo threw the same cap that Chanyeol threw.

“Ya!” Doo Young complained when he didn’t avoid it. “I was talking about that saying, you damn bastard!”

“If there’s a will, there’s a way. If unsure, there’s an excuse,” Chanyeol answered them. He scoffed at himself when he realized why Minseok said those words to him. It wasn’t because of his choice, but because he wanted Chanyeol to realize that he made the wrong one. He looked at his friends who were already wrestling on his floor as he finally let out a satisfied laugh. “I guess you guys are useful, after all.”

“Yah, look at this guy. I feel like he just cussed us.”

“He really did.”

The two approached Chanyeol and wrestled with him instead. The laughter filled the apartment, soothing the doubt that plagued Chanyeol’s heart.

The very next night, he pulled himself together as he headed out of his flat. Chanyeol stood in front of Tavern della Stella Guida, his eyes glimmered with hope, and when he opened that door, the smile in his memory was now a reality.

  
  



	6. Chapter 6

6 months, 1 day, and 2 hours.

It’d been that long since Chanyeol worked at the tavern. And though he initially had a bad start with the vengeful spirit that almost attacked him, he had to admit that he hasn’t had any problems after that. Well, as long as he didn’t count his workmate—Baekhyun.

Baekhyun was the fierce Spirit of Fire. Thus, it was why he was often hot-headed. He would often sneer at Chanyeol whenever they met. He hated the human him with a passion, but he will never admit why.

Even from the start, Baekhyun always sneered at Chanyeol or would throw him a glare. In contrast, Baekhyun was always a bubbly persona in front of Kyungsoo and Minseok. Though he acted like a sassy brat in front of Sehun, Yixing, and the kitchen staff, Chanyeol was the only one he showed such murderous intent.

When it came to being sassy and childish, Sehun was the go-to. Chanyeol got along well with him since he was forced to utter the truth and nothing but the truth. As the Spirit of Air, Sehun knew whenever someone lied to him with the change of their breathing. And though Chanyeol thinks that they get along, he actually has fun teasing the guy especially when it comes to Kyungsoo.

On the other hand, Chanyeol was still wary around Yixing. However, it was mostly because he felt this eerie feeling whenever he talked to Yixing as if he could see through Chanyeol, and it made him feel naked. So he didn’t usually talk to him unless necessary.

The people who worked in the kitchen were a blast to be with. Or at least as long as Junmyeon kept his  _ jokes _ or  _ puns  _ to himself. This was due to one of the incidents when Junmyeon joked around while Chanyeol was still getting his training. Junmyeon was the Spirit in charge of guiding the soul to its chosen option.

At that time as Junmyeon let out his hand to offer it to the soul, he looked at the tavern before facing the child with a solemn look on his face, and out came words that baffled not only Chanyeol but everyone else with them. “I’m sorry that we didn’t have a kid’s section here.”

A snort escaped Minseok before he slapped his lips with his hand to stop. Meanwhile, Kyungsoo quirked one eyebrow as he shook his head.

“What? We don’t have juvie!”

Minseok turned away after this. Though he successfully suppressed his laughter, his shoulders were shaking, which was obvious that he liked the ridiculous joke. Kyungsoo glared at Minseok before looking deadpan at Junmyeon, eyes filled with utter disgust.

“For a Spirit of Water, he’s not very  _ smooth, _ ” Chanyeol whispered to himself as he felt his skin crawl.

Daeyeon, on the other hand, simply tapped Chanyeol’s arm as if telling him that this is what he’s going to experience when it came to Junmyeon. There was a pitiful gaze from the old man, and Chanyeol thought that Daeyeon was remarkable for lasting this long.

Unlike Junmyeon, who would often try to make people laugh with his puns, Jongdae and Jongin were different. The two were always filled with smiles and sunshine. Jongdae got along well with Chanyeol because they had the same interest while Jongin loved talking to Chanyeol because he liked listening about what was going on outside the tavern. As the Spirit of Earth, he always asks Chanyeol about the advancement of humanity to the planet. However, Chanyeol noticed how he sometimes looked sad whenever he mentioned the monstrosities that happened every often.

Since the tavern acted as the crossroads between different walkways in life and the afterlife, it was also protected by a strong barrier which they called the  _ veil. _ It was an invisible force to humans but a very solid colour to the souls who refuse to repent. Once a year, the  _ veil _ was lifted, and many supernatural things happen. Oftentimes, it was nothing of importance since Kyungsoo and Minseok made sure to eliminate any threat that dared to come out of their hiding.

Though the tavern was filled with Spirits as its employees, they were bound there until the  _ veil _ was lifted. It was the only day where they could freely roam the world wherever they pleased to reach. Though this rule did not apply to Kyungsoo and Minseok who would often leave the tavern for personal reasons, the Spirits got to have a day off where they often travel around the world in hopes of watching people. To others, that 24 hours was nothing but to the Spirits, it was their precious 24 hours.

This was how the tavern continued to work in complete harmony for years, decades, centuries, and millennials. They’ve continued to take care of the living world as much as they possibly can by providing a place for the souls to cleanse themselves while taking care of the  _ veil _ that protects the boundary of humans and hell. Though they’ve continued to work for years on end, only a chosen few manage to see the hard work they put in.

“Have you decided what you’ll get for supper?” Chanyeol looked up from his phone to see Jongdae standing by the doorway.

A smile was spread on Jongdae’s face as he walked into the staff room where Chanyeol was currently sitting. He pulled the vacant chair near Chanyeol to sit.

“I’m still not sure. I want a burger, but I also want pizza,” Chanyeol grumbled before looking at his phone to choose from the menu again.

“Ah! Right. Kyungsoo is looking for you. If you haven’t decided yet, you should go to him for now.” Jongdae chuckled before patting Chanyeol’s shoulder as a form of encouragement.

Chanyeol’s  _ admiration _ towards the owner was not a secret to those in the tavern. Even the guests know how he feels, simply because he’s always been too obvious.

Staring at Kyungsoo whenever he possibly could. Smiling when Kyungsoo is smiling. Looking for Kyungsoo without reason. And whenever Kyungsoo was staring at him, he would be so flustered that it would take an idiot not to notice his feelings for the tavern owner.

“Stop looking at me like I’m some kind of poor pup,” Chanyeol complained. Though he liked Jongdae, sometimes he hated how the guy knew too much.

“I can’t help it. You unconsciously leak all this energy about Kyungsoo that it’s hard not to notice.” Jongdae chuckled. As the Spirit of Consciousness, he was one who understood humans the best. That was one reason why Chanyeol was always comfortable with him.

“Okay, okay… I’ll go. Wish I could at least roll for luck,” Chanyeol grumbled which only made Jongdae snort.

“You don’t need luck. You just need to voice out what’s in your heart. Everything else will fall into place.”

Though Jongdae meant to encourage Chanyeol, the guy felt pressured instead. Although it wasn’t Jongdae’s fault, Chanyeol couldn’t help but feel this unexplainable need that pushed him to carry out what the Spirit said. When he knocked on the door, he heard Kyungsoo’s gentle voice telling him that it's okay to enter.

Kyungsoo was sitting by his desk with a pair of glasses that fit him perfectly. He looked up and by habit, only to immediately let out a sweet smile to Chanyeol. “You can sit down. I just need to tell you about our schedule for this week.”

“Oh… uh… sure,” Chanyeol absentmindedly answered as he stumbled forward before finally sitting on the chair opposite the tavern owner. ‘ _ I really should’ve taken a luck roll. _ ’

“I needed to talk to you regarding this week’s important issue. As you know, this tavern acts as a crossroad for souls, but once every year the tavern closes. And that is during the eve of All Hallow’s Day.” Kyungsoo explains. He observes Chanyeol who was listening intently at him.

“So… I shouldn’t come into work?” Chanyeol asked.

Kyungsoo gasped with what he heard. In panic, he let out what he wanted to say with a raised voice. “No! you have to come so I can protect you!” He protested, but he soon turned red when he noticed the surprised look on Chanyeol’s face. He bites his lower lip as he looks away for a second before sighing. He glanced at Chanyeol before continuing to speak. “I-It’s because the barrier that protects the boundaries will grow weak during that time. So I… it would be better if you came in so I can take care of you.”

Hearing what Kyungsoo said, Chanyeol couldn’t help but smile. “Sure. I’ll make sure to come into work that day.” They talked some more before Kyungsoo dismissed Chanyeol so he could get something to eat.

The day of the eve inched closer, and soon it was upon them. By the time the clock struck twelve, Kyungsoo and Minseok bid farewell to the Spirits who would be spending their Hallow Day’s Eve outside the tavern. They were filled with excitement and joy as they ventured on before going back for the most important time of the year – All Hallow’s Day.

On the other hand, Chanyeol was permitted to spend the night in one of the tavern rooms. Kyungsoo stated that going home during that time may cause a rift in space, and he may not be able to find his way back to his workplace despite being contracted as an employee. This was because he was still human, so it was easy to influence his soul that the tavern was nothing but a mere hallucination.

“This room looks better than the last one,” Chanyeol asked, looking around.

The colour in the room spread warmth with the earthy tones that filled the room. Walls were painted with chocolate brown while the king bed in the middle was filled with neutral colours that made the place look simple yet elegant. The dark brown armoire that stood by the wall on the left of the bed looked antique. On the right side of the bed was a nightstand and on the wall hung a beautiful landscape painting.

Chanyeol concentrated on the painting the most since it felt familiar somehow.

“That’s the tavern when we first started,” Kyungsoo explained, standing beside Chanyeol inside the room.

Though Chanyeol was easy to get surprised whenever it was Kyungsoo, he always stayed calm. As if the tavern owner was supposed to be by his side, always. He looked down to see a solemn expression on the owner’s face while looking at the painting. “Beautiful.”

“It is,” Kyungsoo answered, but Chanyeol shook his head. “I mean,… you are.”

Kyungsoo looked at him with wide eyes. The owner had his dumbfounded look on his face as he turned away to show the room to Chanyeol. “So, the bathroom is behind here. If you need to freshen up before sleeping, then you can do so now.”

Chanyeol nodded. “I think I’ll do just that. I’m pretty tired, so I’ll probably fall asleep right away.”

Entering the bathroom, Chanyeol went on with his business. He showered and applied his skincare before stepping out of the bathroom. As he wiped his hair with a towel, he looked up. And for the first time, he was surprised to see Kyungsoo sitting in the bed with a book in his hands. Kyungsoo looked up from his book, the black-rimmed glasses sliding down his nose as his eyes widened into saucers when he saw that Chanyeol was only wearing a towel.

“Y-Y-What?” Chanyeol stuttered, letting out a different word when he initially wanted to ask why Kyungsoo was there in his bed.

Kyungsoo looked down again, concentrating on his book. His cheeks were flushed, and his mind was going into places that it wasn’t supposed to go to. Instead, he shook his head and started to talk. “W-well… This is my room, so we’ll be sleeping together. D-Didn’t Minseok explain it to you?”

Chanyeol felt his heart jackhammering inside his chest when he heard what Kyungsoo said. The words  _ ‘sleep together’ _ echoed in his head as he clumsily headed toward his bag to get his clothes. “H-He didn’t.”

“I’m sorry. I should’ve explained it to you. It's because the place is full today so there’s no other room and there’s a guest that has been wandering the halls lately, so Minseok advised that it's better if we sleep in one room. If you’re uncomfortable about it then—”

“N-n-n-no! No! I’m not! I’m not uncomfortable with it. I actually like to! I-I-I mean! I didn’t mean it like that but well I… I don’t mind sleeping with you. Oh God, no, that came out wrong. I mean… to sleep,  _ sleep,  _ not like I’m thinking of having sex with you or anything and—”

When their eyes met, the two could see that they both resembled a ripe tomato. And with that, Chanyeol finally clamped his lips shut as he hurriedly took his clothes to go back in the bathroom to change. As he did so, Kyungsoo took off his glasses to cover his face with his hands. He then wiggled and kicked the blankets as he sank into the embarrassment he felt.

The moment Chanyeol got out of the bathroom, he was surprised to see Minseok sitting beside Kyungsoo. “Oh, you took a shower. I knew it would be the right idea to install a bathroom here.” He said as he turned his gaze to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo could see it in Minseok’s eyes, and with the way he had this shit-eating grin on his lips, it was all a mischievous ploy from his general manager. “You did this all on purpose.” He glared.

Minseok simply shrugged his shoulders as he tilted his head before pouting, “Whatever do you mean my dear Kyungsoo? I was just worried for our Chanyeol, so I asked to install that bathroom.”

Kyungsoo kicked Minseok off the bed, and he just snickered as he fell off.

The general manager then headed for the door. “The bathroom was up to your standard, I hope?” he asked Chanyeol before reaching for the doorknob.

“It looked like a five-star hotel’s bathroom, not that I’ve been in one,” Chanyeol quipped, scratching the back of his head.

“I’m sure. The place was  _ shaking, _ so I wanted to make sure all is well. Looks like it served its purpose, better than intended.” Minseok winked at Chanyeol as he disappeared in a white cloud.

Chanyeol immediately turned to Kyungsoo, brows raised in question. “What does he mean? Was there an earthquake?”

Kyungsoo clenched his jaw as he looked away. “No. Don’t mind him. He’s always like that. Anyway, you said you were tired so… we should sleep now.”

Chanyeol didn’t have to be told twice because after he was done with his routine, he snuggled into the comfort of the bed. He looked at the book on Kyungsoo’s lap. “Do you often read books?”

“Only when no one’s there to bother me,” Kyungsoo answered as he glanced at Chanyeol.

“Sounds like you do. Maybe you can tell me about it sometime…” Chanyeol yawned as his eyelids turned heavy and he fell into a deep slumber.

Kyungsoo looked at the sleeping figure beside him, and he let out a smile. Closing the book, he looked at the author’s name before shaking his head. “Fate is such a tease sometimes,” he uttered as he passed his hand on Chanyeol’s cheek.


	7. Chapter 7

Though the place was busy filled with souls, the mood of the area was joyful. Since it was his first time, Chanyeol noticed how the souls were chatting about their families and lives. It was never like this, and he suddenly thought that maybe it was because Yixing, the Spirit of Void, was not there to listen to them.

But Kyungsoo, who was covering the bar in Yixing’s absence, explained that the souls are allowed to visit their family or friends during the eve of All Hallow’s Day. Though their family members or friends forget those dreams after they wake up, the souls feel enlightened; therefore, it brings an abundant spread of delight inside them.

Though the kitchen was closed today, everyone was still in high spirits after drinking the mixes that Kyungsoo made. As the hours went on, the souls left the tavern to have fun outside and possibly visit their loved ones again. The place slowly turned quiet after the merry bunch that sang and told stories.

“It’s almost time,” Minseok suddenly called out.

Kyungsoo, who was behind the bar counter, suddenly appeared beside Chanyeol. He took the human’s wrist and pulled him close to the bar counter.

“What’s going on?” Chanyeol asked, wondering why Kyungsoo suddenly pulled him away.

“Just stay beside me. And make sure never to leave my side,” Kyungsoo answered, pulling Chanyeol’s hand to intertwine their fingers together.

Chanyeol wanted to ask again, but he noticed how the surroundings were starting to dim down. He saw the lights in the tavern dimming as if it’s on a light saving’s mode on a phone. He wondered why this was so.

Just outside, people looked up at the sky to witness the beauty of the lunar eclipse. As the moon lost its brightness, so did the inside of the tavern. When the darkness swallowed everything, Chanyeol felt his heart thump in fear. The feeling of the unknown shaking him since he couldn’t see anything.

This was the first time Chanyeol felt hopeless as if his consciousness was pulled into a dark abyss where escape was nowhere in sight. He felt something tighten around his hand, and he immediately fought back, pulling it away in fear of what would become of him.

“Chanyeol… it’s me,” Kyungsoo whispered, his voice filled with emotions that rinsed Chanyeol of his fear.

Kyungsoo’s voice felt like silk that stroked along Chanyeol’s body to calm him. The fear that once gnawed at Chanyeol was eased with merely three words. No, by the mere voice of Kyungsoo.

Realizing that they were still in the tavern, Chanyeol let out a sigh as he looked around. This time, he saw glowing eyes of black and grey. The eyes of the souls that were left in there with them. He found a sense of security from seeing them, eyes that often gave him mini heart attacks before. He couldn’t believe that they would give him a sense of security this time.

As he looked around, his eyes passed an intense shade of colour. He immediately looked back, but there was nothing. He furrowed his brows as he pulled Kyungsoo’s hand closer to him.

“What’s wrong?” Kyungsoo asked, worry evident in his voice.

Chanyeol rubbed his eyes, unsure if he saw things that weren’t there. “I thought I saw a—” he mumbled before a flash of red appeared to his side. “Red eyes!” he yelled out, and he yelped when he felt something graze him. He immediately pushed it with his hand and felt something on his hand before reaching for his eye as he fell.

Kyungsoo gasped when he felt a tight pull on his hand. Realizing that something happened to Chanyeol, the tavern started to shake. Kyungsoo’s anger leaked out of him, and he raised his hand to capture the soul that tried to harm Chanyeol.

The soul squirmed around, screeching like a banshee. But Kyungsoo didn’t let go, and as his eyes glowed, bottles from the bar counter fell, and the other souls were alarmed. He was enraged that Chanyeol was hurt because of this lost soul, and with that, he wanted it to cease its existence.

“Kyungsoo, don’t!” Minseok called out in a hurry, and the tavern stopped shaking.

Though Kyungsoo had a tight hold on the evil soul, it managed to escape when his attention was pulled away from it. Due to Chanyeol tightening his grip on the tavern owner, he looked away from the evil soul.

“It… got away,” Minseok gasped as the brightness of the moon peeked back into the world.

Kyungsoo immediately kneeled to see Chanyeol’s current state. He was rushed, unsure what was going to happen to their newest member. Memories flashed in Kyungsoo’s mind, different states of different men with Chanyeol’s face covered in blood or too pale to function. Kyungsoo could feel his insides trembling with the emotions that sparked inside him. He asked Chanyeol to come to work because he wanted to protect him, and he couldn’t help but blame himself.

“Stop.” Kyungsoo heard Minseok’s calm voice as a hand squeezed his shoulder. The tavern owner looked back to see his general manager looking at him with a benign smile despite his worried eyes. “Let me check him.”

Minseok held Chanyeol’s arm, a warm light emanating from his hand as he reached for Chanyeol. When the taller’s arms were away from his face, the two beings gasped at what they saw.

Apart from the blood that continued to soak Chanyeol’s clothing, his eyes had turned red etched with an odd symbol. Minseok reached for Chanyeol’s left cheek and carefully placed his hand there to try and heal what he could. As he did so, Chanyeol’s grunts started to lessen, and Minseok felt him relax under his hold. “We need to catch that evil soul before it hurts another human.”

“But how about his infection?” Kyungsoo asked, looking at Minseok.

“I’ll try to find a way to get rid of it. But we need the essence from that evil soul. I won’t be able to heal Chanyeol properly without it,” Minseok stated.

Kyungsoo was going to stand up, but he felt Chanyeol holding his hand tightly. He immediately looked down at the human who tried to sit up despite his condition. “Chanyeol what’s wrong?”

“I-I’ll go with you,” Chanyeol stated, looking up at the owner of the tavern.

“No! You need to stay here! You don’t know what that evil soul is capable of. If you go with me then you might—” Kyungsoo held the word back, unable to even utter it as his heart clenched inside his chest. He didn’t want to say it in fear that it would happen.

“Let him go, Chanyeol. He needs to hurry up and get that soul before it harms others,” Minseok pointed out, holding on to Chanyeol’s hand to pull it away from Kyungsoo but Chanyeol stood firm to his decision.

“I can see where the evil soul is going,” Chanyeol confessed.

Kyungsoo and Minseok’s eyes widened as they looked at each other. “What do you mean you can see where it’s going?” Minseok raised the question before Kyungsoo could.

“I don’t know why, but my right eye seems to be connected to the evil soul,” Chanyeol explained. “I can see where it's going. I know where it’s headed so… take me.”

Kyungsoo bit his lip as he closed his eyes tightly, he clenched his fist before looking back at Chanyeol, looking at him with expectant eyes. “I promise to protect you this time.”

“Be careful out there. I’ll prepare the antidote with the Spirits when they arrive,” Minseok let out as he watched them leave the tavern.

Though the lunar eclipse was gone from the sky, the streets were still filled with people who were fascinated by the lovely view from up there. Luckily, with Chanyeol’s directions, Kyungsoo managed to find the evil soul before it could do anything to anyone. For transport purposes, Kyungsoo carried Chanyeol in his back as he appeared into the places that Chanyeol stated.

Though Chanyeol was coughing after the first time, he eventually got used to it.

Kyungsoo raised his hand as if holding the soul’s neck while it was pinned on the wall. The soul tried to get away, its limbs thrashing around while choked gurgling sounds escaped its lips. The tavern owner’s eyes glowed again, and he slowly closed his hand to bind the soul.

As one of the people who were in charge of the border, Kyungsoo had the power to bind an evil spirit that would cease its existence. By doing so, the soul would forego any cleansing from any other God. They were returned as energy into the world, which will never earn a sense of consciousness. It was the most painful way of disappearing.

“ **Halt**.”

A bright light suddenly flashed behind Kyungsoo and Chanyeol. The tavern owner didn’t have to turn around to know who it was, but Chanyeol did, and he gasped to see a beautiful woman with white floating hair as if it was suspended in water. She had crystal eyes that glimmered, but a stoic look that showed no emotions like a robot. Though amazed, Chanyeol felt a sense of foreboding while looking at her.

“ **Surrender it.** ” Her voice was as cold as ice and Chanyeol could feel his insides tremble. He could feel that she is a different kind of being from the others he has met.

“As  _ She _ wishes.“ Kyungsoo clenched his jaw as he glared at the evil spirit that was still squirming over his hold. He closed his hand as he moved the soul over to the woman who simply passed her hand over it.

Chanyeol thought it was finally over when the soul disappeared after what she did. But his sight on his left eye was still missing, raising a sense of panic inside him.

“ **Surrender it.** ” Her voice was now colder as she repeated the words that had already left her lips.

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened when he realized what she was asking as he immediately stepped in front of Chanyeol, holding his arm to make sure that he wouldn’t go anywhere. “He is a human.”

“ **You must surrender the eye that carries the evil soul’s essence,** ” the woman said, tilting her head as she looked at Kyungsoo. “ **No human should be able to withstand this insanity.** ”

“He is not just any human. He is an employee of  _ my _ tavern. He’s one of  _ my  _ people!” Kyungsoo answered a boiling feeling rose from within him. He was already angered that he had to surrender the evil soul, but he will never let go of Chanyeol.

“ **You dare defy** **_Her_ ** **?!** ” the woman’s icy tone felt colder. In response to this, the land she stood on froze.

“K-Kyungsoo… I can surrender my eye. I still have my other eye… I-I don’t mind. I don’t want you to get in trouble,” Chanyeol urged, holding Kyungsoo’s arm.

“ **Surrender the eyes that have seen more than it should. You must. It is of utmost concern that a human is infected by an evil soul’s essence. I must cleanse this human and rid him of what he has seen,** ” the woman stated, making Chanyeol flinch.

Hearing this, Kyungsoo stomped on the ground, causing it to shake. “You will not touch _my_ people. If you so much as touch him, I will make sure that the  _ veil _ will **never** close,” he threatened, eyes glimmering with a shine that stated he was serious.

The woman, who maintained a stoic look, narrowed her eyes at Kyungsoo. Her crystal eyes glimmered in a different shade as she looked cautiously at Kyungsoo. “ **You dare defy** **_her_ ** **will**?”

“Try me,” Kyungsoo challenged. Except for the air around him and Chanyeol, everything else turned heavy as if gravity itself pulled everyone down on their knees to force them into worship. Kyungsoo’s eyes glowed in a golden brown colour that made the woman grit her teeth as she was forced down. “I do not issue pointless threats.”

The authority that leaked out of Kyungsoo’s voice was finite. Even as he looked down on the woman, who had fallen on her knees, he stood with this majestic glare that issued a challenge. Whosoever tried him would experience not only pain but a lifetime of disaster.

“Kyungsoo…” Chanyeol whispered with a plea to stop the tavern owner. Though, if he were to be honest to himself, he was also scared. He didn’t want to surrender his sight to the woman who asked for it. There was too much he wanted to see. Kyungsoo’s lips that turned into hearts whenever he smiled, the way his eyes turned into crescents whenever he was happy, or even the way Kyungsoo bit his lip as he got lost in his thoughts.

Giving up one of his eyes was something he was willing to do just, so he didn’t have to be a burden to Kyungsoo. But hearing the woman’s command to surrender his sight, he didn’t want to do it. And since Kyungsoo stood before him with the will to protect him, his heart was filled with nothing but admiration for his boss. Truth was, it was filled with more than that as he felt this feeling that he couldn’t quite explain. A sense that centred around his chest as his heart guided its beat into the rhythm of Kyungsoo’s name.

An iridescent light surrounded the woman before a beam of light shot from above. Though there were humans present around the area, none of them noticed the peculiar brightness that lasered from the heavens.

The woman’s eyes glowed in a crystalline colour as she opened her lips. A distinct voice leaked out of it, which made Chanyeol cover his ears. To him, the sound that spread out of the woman’s lips were like nails scraping down a chalkboard. But to Kyungsoo, it was different.

The look on Kyungsoo’s eyes turned grim as he glared at the woman in front of him.

**_“Is this mortal worth your rebellion?”_ **

Kyungsoo scoffed, letting out an arrogant smirk. “Yes. He will  _ always _ be worth it.”

There was a moment of silence as Chanyeol and Kyungsoo stared at the beam of light. The woman inside it slowly disappeared along with the beam, but not before she let out a final warning.

**_“You will regret this.”_ **

Kyungsoo scoffed with a scornful look on his face, a grin leaking out of his lips as he answered in his mind. ‘I will _never_ regret anything.’

As the beam of light disappeared, Kyungsoo released his effect on the surrounding area. The pressure of gravity that pulled beings to their knees was finally released. He turned to look at Chanyeol, worry evident in his eyes as he checked the new employee’s wellbeing. “Please tell me you’re alright.”

Chanyeol could see how worried his boss was. What with the way his cheeks were warmed by Kyungsoo’s hands and eyes scanning him as if there was something wrong with him. “I’m alright… I can’t see in one eye, but that’s better than not seeing anything at all right?”

“I’m sorry…” Kyungsoo immediately let out. “I should have protected you properly.”

“You did what you could… and for that I’m thankful. I don’t know what would have happened to me if I weren’t with you. So… to be honest I should be thanking you for helping me out this much. Thank you, Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol smiled. One where no hesitance nor doubt was filling it.

Kyungsoo couldn’t help but feel this tightness in his chest as he pulled Chanyeol so that their foreheads touched. His mind was in turmoil, but only because he couldn’t help but blame himself for what happened to Chanyeol.


	8. Chapter 8

  
  


The bell from the tavern dinged as Chanyeol and Kyungsoo entered. Minseok’s warm embrace immediately welcomed them.

“I’m glad you’re both alright. I was so worried,” Minseok whispered.

Kyungsoo tapped his general manager’s shoulder as the latter pulled back to look at him with questioning eyes. “Did you manage?”

“I only need the soul’s essence. You captured it, right?” Minseok continued to ask, but he noticed the awkward air around Chanyeol and Kyungsoo as questions went out of his lips. “Oh… Please tell me you got its essence.”

“She got in the way,” Kyungsoo said. 

And as if it answered all the questions in Minseok’s mind, the general manager looked down with a defeated look. He was already gritting his teeth, holding in the anger that was boiling inside him.

Kyungsoo, on the other hand, couldn’t help but pour his attention on Chanyeol who has been quiet from the moment they left the barren area that they were at. He was supposed to take care of Chanyeol, but he couldn’t uphold his end of the promise. There was so much that he wanted to say but the words hung in his mouth, unable to leave.

But as much as Kyungsoo and Minseok brooded over the white lady's interruption, Chanyeol was thinking about something. Piece by piece, he tried to connect the dots that could solve the dilemma he was in. Seeing how Minseok was trying his best not to lash out and the sorry expression on Kyungsoo’s face, he knew there was something important that they were forgetting.

“Minseok-hyung… If you get that soul’s essence, would you be able to fix my eye?” Chanyeol suddenly asked after a moment of silence.

Minseok let out a sigh to release the frustration boiling inside him. He bit his lip before looking at Chanyeol, “We could.”

“When we were outside, trying to chase the evil soul, there’s this woman who appeared and told us that she needed to get my eye because the evil spirit’s essence infected it… So I was wondering if—“

“Chanyeol you’re a genius! I’d kiss you right now, but I’ll leave that to Kyungsoo!” Minseok clapped, his voice was filled with hope as he beamed at the taller.

Chanyeol wasn’t sure what he should do, but when Minseok poked his forehead, he felt a warm feeling overcome him, and darkness swallowed his consciousness.

“W-wait… Are you going to remove his eye?” Kyungsoo asked, concerned about the way Minseok was holding Chanyeol.

“Hmm? No, heaven’s no! I’m extracting the essence, and then the other Spirits are going to help me,” Minseok explained, though he could see that there was more to the worry that was etched in Kyungsoo’s face.

“Don’t worry! Once he wakes up, I’ll make sure to remind him of that kiss!” He winked as he snapped his fingers to make Chanyeol float, leaving the reddened Kyungsoo to stare at the floor.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


With the tension in the room, it would seem like something bad has happened. Their eyes unfocused, and their hands tightly clasped together as if reciting a prayer. 

Kyungsoo, especially, had another one’s hand in between his while sitting beside the bed. His shoulders slumped while his forehead was leaning on his hands that were on the bed. Whispering, pleading, hoping.

“He’ll be fine,” Minseok assured before Kyungsoo could even say anything. Due to their connection for staying together for a long time, Minseok understood Kyungsoo the most. They were partners who will always have each other’s backs.

Kyungsoo let out a sigh after hearing what Minseok said. He believed his partner, his friend, the only one who has been with him from the start. Minseok would never lie to him, but he still worried. He was still anxious because it’s been hours since Chanyeol last opened his eyes.

Following the events of Hallows Eve, Minseok and the other Spirits managed to extract the essence of the evil soul that penetrated inside Chanyeol’s eye. Though they managed to pull it out of him so his soul wouldn’t corrode and die, they had yet to provide him with the antidote. Due to his current state of unconsciousness, they couldn’t administer the antidote without his consciousness intact. The soul needed to be cleansed just as much as his body, but they had to both be cleansed simultaneously.

Kyungsoo let out another sigh before kissing the back of Chanyeol’s hand. “Please… wake up soon.”

As time ticked along, Kyungsoo felt movement between his hands. He immediately looked at it before shifting his gaze to look at Chanyeol’s face. He gasped when he finally saw Chanyeol looking straight back at him.

“What happened?” Chanyeol asked, confused. The room looked familiar, Kyungsoo’s he thought. But as he looked around, he noticed that the room was filled with the tavern’s employees. The Spirits and the Deities surrounded him as he felt a warm hold on his hand. Looking down, he saw Kyungsoo with teary eyes as he bit down his lip.

“I’m so glad you woke up,” Kyungsoo said.

“Since he’s awake, he needs to drink the elixir now.” Minseok urged. “Chanyeol, you have to listen to me carefully. This is an elixir that will cleanse the evil soul’s remaining essence that merged into your soul. Though we managed to extract most of it, a part of it had already seeped through your soul. So it would be best if you drank this in order to cleanse yourself of that essence. It’s going to be painful, but I need you to stay conscious. If you lose consciousness… no, let’s not talk about that. I need you to stay conscious, understand me?”

Though he just woke up, Chanyeol could see the desperate look on everyone’s faces. He looked at Kyungsoo, and as their eyes met, he understood the worry that filled the tavern’s owner. “I understand. But… I have a request…”

“What is it?” Kyungsoo answered since Chanyeol was looking straight at him.

“Will you stay by my side?” 

Kyungsoo nodded after hearing Chanyeol’s request. 

Minseok smiled at them, though he would often tease Kyungsoo, he still liked it when his friend’s face lit up like that. “Here it is. Take it all in one go,” he said, handing over the bottle to Chanyeol.

Chanyeol looked at the bottle in his hand, though the liquid was clear he couldn’t help but notice the strong scent of alcohol. He licked his lips and let out his breath before gulping down the liquid. The first swallow felt like his throat was  stinging , but he carried on and continued to take it in. He squeezed Kyungsoo’s hand that was holding his, suppressing the urge to vomit. As he gulped down the last drop, a  burning  sensation followed his tongue down to his neck and onto his chest. He felt a loud thump from his heart as his vision shook, and his ears rang. He clenched down his teeth, gritting them while the  painful  sensation slowly rippled out onto his body.

Kyungsoo sat there, looking at Chanyeol with worry. He held the latter’s hand just as tightly to let him know that he was there. Amidst this, Minseok guided the other Spirits out of the room to give them their space.

“Do you think he’ll make it?” Jongin was the first to speak, worry-filled his voice.

“He won’t fall that easily, what’s he so tall for if he can’t take that simple pressure?” Baekhyun answered, a sound of bitterness laced into his voice while rolling his eyes.

Sehun snorted at him. “Stop hating on him just because he’s tall.” He chuckled, shaking his head.

“Oh, is that why Baekhyun hates him?” Jongdae suddenly chimed with a smirk, looking at Baekhyun.

“If he can’t handle it. Then he’s all bark and no bite.” Junmyeon suddenly said, and the Spirits looked at him with complete disgust apparent on their faces, save for Yixing who simply patted his shoulder with a thin-lipped smile. “What? It’s the perfect pun because Baekhyun said he’s a tree! You get it? Bark? Tree?”

“My friend, silence is also funny,” Yixing answered.

Minseok shook his head as he watched the Spirits head down the stairs. He looked back at the door before letting out a sigh. “It’s all up to you, Kyungsoo.”

Back in the room, Chanyeol was starting to sweat. With the way he held his chest, squeezed Kyungsoo’s hand, and with his ragged breath, it felt like he couldn’t breathe. He felt like his chest was being pulled apart while a heavy pressure continued to pin him down on the bed. He kept groaning, grunting, frustrated sounds as he gritted his teeth so he won’t succumb to the pain.

“Chanyeol…” Kyungsoo called out, he was worried, but there was nothing he could do but stay there and watch as Chanyeol continued to feel the pain. He wanted to do something, anything, to alleviate the suffering Chanyeol was going through, but it was impossible to do so. He knew that Chanyeol needed to go through this on his own.

After the attack on his lungs, Chanyeol felt excruciating pain in his stomach. Aside from this, he felt like his limbs were being torn away from his body, muscles pulled apart as if he was getting tortured. He could feel his eyes soaking wet with tears while his lips were already numb from his biting. He felt like his insides were being twisted and wrung as if it were clothing that needed to dry.

He wasn’t sure how long he’s been enduring the pain, but he felt a cold relaxing feeling centred around his navel. Whenever Chanyeol thought he had lost consciousness, he would squeeze Kyungsoo’s hand, and once he felt Kyungsoo squeeze back, he would try to open his eyes despite being unable to do so. Still, he concentrated on that cold soothing feeling on his navel despite the pain that tore his body apart. Though the pain had subsided, he could barely move his body. However, he was happy that Kyungsoo stayed and never left his side.

Time continued to pass, and soon he felt his body turn heavy, and the pain had finally gone away. He tried to open his eyes, and this time, he saw Kyungsoo crying by his side while looking like he was praying. The sight of Kyungsoo like this seemed familiar. It was the same as what he saw in one of his dreams. He couldn’t help but feel his body relax, easing into the comfortable silence that enveloped the room.

“Kyungsoo…” Chanyeol whispered.

Kyungsoo whipped his head up to meet Chanyeol’s eyes. He couldn’t help but continue to cry as his anxiousness was washed away by Chanyeol’s smile. He immediately reached for Chanyeol to help him up. “Minseok said you’d be thirsty to I have water for you.”

As Kyungsoo helped Chanyeol to move up the bed to sit, Chanyeol felt something fall from his navel. He wrinkled his forehead, which immediately earned Kyungsoo’s attention.

“Is something wrong?” Kyungsoo asked, stopping his movement since he wasn’t sure if he hurt Chanyeol.

“No… I feel like something just dropped.” Chanyeol stated, pulling the blanket away before pulling his shirt up.

The two were surprised to see a marble fall out of Chanyeol’s shirt. It had a swirl of red and black, which meant that the cleansing was successful. Chanyeol was about to pick it up when Kyungsoo stopped him. “Don’t. It’s not something a human should touch.”

“Oh… Then…” Chanyeol wanted to ask what would happen to it, but Kyungsoo handed him a glass of water before he could ask. As he gulped it down, his eyes widened when he realized that Kyungsoo was going to reach down to grab it. “W-wait!”

Chanyeol called out a second too late because Kyungsoo had already reached for the marble that was stationed on Chanyeol’s pants. Due to Chanyeol’s urgent complain, Kyungsoo didn’t realize where he was holding as he looked at the human that sat on his bed.

“What’s wrong?” Kyungsoo asked nonchalantly, not realizing what his hand was holding.

“M-My…” Chanyeol couldn’t let out the words he wanted to say because the door slammed open as Minseok entered.

Though Minseok barged into the room with excitement when Sehun informed him that Chanyeol’s breathing was steady, he didn’t expect to step into this kind of view. There, on the bed, was Chanyeol sitting with a tomato red face while Kyungsoo was standing beside the bed holding on the human’s pants. All three of them froze on their spots.

“I was here to remind you about the kiss and all but Kyungsoo! No matter how horny you are, you can’t do that yet! He just finished his cleansing! Give the man a break!” Minseok pointed, words slipping out in a hurried state while his voice blasted in the room with authority. Though his cheeks were red from walking in on his friend, he tried to remain as rational as possible.

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Kyungsoo asked as he furrowed his brows. He was going to pick up the marble when he felt something twitch along his hand. He immediately looked down before his eyes widened, and his cheeks turned red. “I-I-I’m sorry!” He panicked, pulling away his hand as he turned away from Chanyeol. He looked at Minseok, “It’s not what you think!” he called out before rushing out of the room.

Minseok, who watched his friend rush out of there, turned back to Chanyeol who could only cover his face with his hands. “I’ll... come back at a later time then.” 

  
  
  


After clearing the misunderstanding, they gathered at the tavern’s bar counter where some of the Spirits and the two Deities were all looking at Chanyeol as if he were a lab rat up for observation. Although he felt uncomfortable, Kyungsoo’s presence always brings him comfort, so he didn’t really mind. While he sat on one of the highchairs, he noticed that the kitchen staff were holding plates of food as they walked toward him. 

“Here it is! Enjoy!” Jongdae smiled, obviously proud of their creation.

“I made sure that it’s not spicy for you,” Jongin added, and before Junmyeon could say his pun, which was obvious with how he was already grinning to himself, Kyungsoo cut him off. “Go ahead and eat, Chanyeol.”

“Wait but… doesn’t eating this mean…” Chanyeol trailed off as he looked around.

“It’s a gift from all of us. You’ve earned it.” Kyungsoo stated, letting out a smile. “After extracting that orb from your body, you’ll need this. You’re gonna have to work here for a very long time, so we expect you to live a healthy and long life.”

Chanyeol looked around him to see everyone smiling, even Baekhyun who didn’t like him smiled at him. He could feel the warmth of everyone’s smile as he thanked them for the food. Taking the first bite, he couldn’t help but feel tears fall from his eyes. “It’s so delicious. Thank you.”

Tears continued to fall as he ate his fill. The Spirits and Deities smiled as they watched their human. They all agreed with Kyungsoo’s sentiments. Chanyeol was already part of their family, the tavern. They considered him important, someone that they could trust and spend a long time with. And with their gift to him, Chanyeol’s life will have an abundance of blessings ahead of him.

  
  
  



End file.
